MANILA (PIA) – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has increased its hemodialysis benefit package to P990,660 (previously P624,000) per patient annually.
Effective Oct. 9, the state health insurer raised coverage to P6,350 (previously P4000) per session for members and qualified dependents with chronic kidney disease stage 5. This marks the second increase in three months, following the July adjustment.
PhilHealth President and CEO Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. said the move aims to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for patients receiving standard dialysis care.
“Our aim is to ensure that patients will no longer have co-payment when availing the minimum set of services for dialysis,” Ledesma said.
Ledesma credited Department of Health Secretary Ted Herbosa for swift approval of the proposal and noted cooperation from nephrologists and dialysis centers in implementing the no co-payment arrangement.
The new package covers medications, laboratory tests, supplies, and facility fees. Only patients who need services other than package inclusives may face capped co-payments.
The enhanced coverage has been welcomed by dialysis patients, including Roseanne Lappay from Pateros, who called it “good news for dialysis patients.” (PIA-NCR)
